The 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca delivered a compelling blend of strategy, drama, and outright pace-hallmarks of endurance racing at its most engaging. The undulating Californian circuit, famed for its daunting Corkscrew and ever-changing grip, once again proved a worthy stage for the world’s finest sports car teams.
From the outset, the narrative was dominated by Porsche Penske Motorsport. The team’s two Porsche 963s have been the benchmark all season, and Laguna Seca was no exception. The No. 6 car, piloted by Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell, overcame early adversity to secure its first victory of the season, breaking the winning streak of its sister car, the No. 7, driven by Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy. This 1-2 finish marked the third consecutive sweep for Porsche Penske and the team’s 24th overall 1-2 in IMSA competition, underlining Roger Penske’s enduring influence on the championship.
The race, however, was far from a straightforward Porsche procession. The No. 24 BMW M Team RLL entry, with Philipp Eng and Dries Vanthoor at the wheel, started from pole for the fourth consecutive time. The BMW duo looked poised to disrupt Porsche’s dominance, but a late-race incident-contact with Tandy on the final lap-saw them relegated to third, despite a valiant recovery. The closing stages were a showcase of IMSA’s trademark intensity: Jaminet fending off Tandy and the BMW, all while negotiating relentless traffic and lapped cars. The margin of victory, a slender 1.692 seconds after 2 hours and 40 minutes of racing, spoke volumes about the competitive depth on display
Jaminet summed up the challenge succinctly: “It was a wild race. We didn’t have the ideal start due to a minor collision; a GT car didn’t see Matt on the inside, which was unfortunate. We lost some time and fell to fifth place, but from there on, we were pretty much in full attack mode from start to finish. We had to manage our energy and tyres while also putting in qualifying-level laps. In the end, it was very close, with the sister car and the BMW right behind us, along with traffic and lapped cars. It was challenging, but that’s the essence of IMSA racing”
In the GT categories, Porsche’s dominance continued. AO Racing’s No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R, with Laurin Heinrich and Klaus Bachler, secured a third consecutive GTD Pro class victory, building on their momentum from Sebring and Long Beach. In GTD, Winward Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT3, driven by Philip Ellis and Russell Ward, emerged victorious, besting a fiercely competitive field that included Ferrari, Corvette, and Lexus entries
As the championship heads into its summer stretch, the points picture is beginning to crystallise. Nasr and Tandy maintain a 91-point advantage in the GTP standings, while Porsche extends its lead in the manufacturers’ race. AO Racing’s GTD Pro squad and Winward Racing’s GTD effort both solidified their title aspirations with commanding performances
Laguna Seca, with its storied history and technical demands, once again delivered a race rich in narrative and nuance. Porsche’s continued supremacy, BMW’s dogged challenge, and the relentless intensity of multi-class racing ensured that the 2025 Monterey round will be remembered as a classic in the annals of IMSA competition.
